Project Number: 1245-21000-190-31
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jun 01, 2012
End Date: May 31, 2014

Objective:
Develop a high-throughput process to screen for nitrogen uptake efficiency (NUpE), characterize the genetic variation for NUpE in wild and cultivated diploid potato species, and determine the influence of photoperiod on NUpE and tuberization efficiency. Interspecific crosses will also be made for future genetic studies on the inheritance of NUpE and the development of molecular markers associated with NUpE.

Approach:
Genotypes of Solanum chacoense (chc) will be grown under different N regimes in tissue culture and root parameters measured. These same genotypes will be grown in the greenhouse under long- and short-day photoperiods. Plants will be harvested 100 days after planting, and partitioned into above-ground biomass, roots and tubers, and analyzed for total N. The correlation between root parameters from tissue culture plantlets and greenhouse-grown plants will be calculated. Relative response to photoperiod will also be determined as the ratio of roots:tubers produced under short-day to the ratio of roots:tubers produced under long-day growing conditions. Crosses will be made between phu-stn and chc.